The Privacy Act in New Zealand, which came into effect in 1993, establishes principles for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by agencies and organizations in New Zealand. The Act applies to both public and private sector organizations, and sets out a number of rights for individuals with regard to their personal information, including the right to access and correct their personal information, and the right to complain if they believe their privacy has been breached.
Under the Privacy Act, organizations must ensure that personal information is collected, used, and disclosed in a way that is fair and reasonable, and that individuals are aware of the purposes for which their personal information will be used. Organizations must also take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
The Privacy Act also establishes a number of principles that apply to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, including the principle of collection limitation, which requires that personal information be collected only for a lawful purpose that is directly related to the functions or activities of the organization collecting it. The Act also establishes the principle of purpose specification, which requires that the purposes for which personal information is collected be specified at the time of collection, and the principle of openness, which requires organizations to make information about their policies and practices relating to the management of personal information readily available to individuals.
In addition to the Privacy Act, there is also the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada, which sets out similar principles for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by private sector organizations in Canada. PIPEDA applies to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activities, and provides individuals with the right to access and correct their personal information, as well as the right to file a complaint if they believe their privacy has been breached.
